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Date Available

4-13-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

DNP Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

College

Nursing

Department/School/Program

Nursing

Faculty

Holly Chitwood, DNP, APRN

Committee Member

Rhea Vidrine, MD

Faculty

Jennifer Bivins, DNP, APRN

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives: This project aimed to decrease the time required to administer antibiotics and fluid boluses to pediatric patients with sepsis by implementing a virtual reality (VR) simulation program. The initiative sought to enhance bedside nurses’ and pediatric residents’ knowledge, clinical reasoning, and confidence in sepsis assessment, early recognition, and evidence-based management. A secondary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of VR simulation as an educational strategy for nurses in a high-acuity pediatric setting.

Design: This quality improvement project used a quasi-experimental design that incorporated a VR simulation intervention followed by a structured debriefing and targeted education session. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing self-reported confidence and knowledge in pediatric sepsis recognition and management. To examine potential changes in patient outcomes, pre and post intervention data was collected from patient electronic medical records who triggered a sepsis alert during September and October 2025 and January and February 2026

Setting: The study was conducted in a 16-bed PICU providing care for medical, surgical, and cardiac patients.

Subjects:

Thirty out of 45 nurses participated. Included were PICU staff nurses. Exclusion criteria included nurses in orientation, on-call, per diem, and those pulled from other units.

Intervention: The immersive VR scenario featured an 8-year-old male admitted with left lower lobe pneumonia progressing to sepsis. Participants assessed vital signs, work of breathing, perfusion, and status to recognize deterioration and initiate timely interventions.

Measurements and Main Results: Improvements in nursing self-rated confidence and knowledge were statistically significant (p < .001) across all six survey items. Among nursing participants, 83.3% held a BSN, and 30% had six or more years of pediatric experience. Patient outcome data was limited and showed no measurable improvement in time to fluid bolus and antibiotics.

Conclusions: VR simulation is a promising educational modality that may supplement mannequin-based training and expand access to clinical practice. Broader implementation

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